A convo last week about my sister’s upcoming wedding, with my poet friend Amy, starting in medias res:
Me: I don’t have to be in the wedding, but I’m supposed to read a poem. Meaning I have to write one. Tomorrow.
Amy: Wedding poems are tough.
Me: The best way seems to be write about an abstraction. You know, like a tree.
Amy: So long’s it’s not too sappy. Ha ha.
The sappy yet treeless poem’s been written, and on Tuesday, I’ll get on a gas-guzzling plane with my mom and fly to Albany, where we’ll get in a gas-guzzing rental car and drive up to Cooperstown, NY.
For the enviro record: I got my sis fluffy organic towels for her wedding gift :) But — Any advice for what I should check out once I get to this Cooperstown place? Yes, I’ve alredy heard about the baseball hall of fame, but I’m looking for coffee, wine, and good eats, i.e. not hotdogs –
Hi Siel,
Cooperstown is not only the “Birthplace of Baseball”, it’s also my birthplace. There are a couple good coffee shops… Stagecoach Cafe on Pioneer Street and Danny’s Market around the corner on Main Street. There’s also a new place called The Bean south of town. There’s a wine shop on Pioneer Street (nothing big). The most exquisite food is at the Otesaga Resort Hotel (too expensive for me… http://www.otesaga.com/Dining/index.shtml) but there are plenty of less expensive choices. Take a look at visitcooperstown.com and http://www.cooperstownchamber.org. Schneider’s Bakery on Main Street has the BEST donuts and pastries!
Kurt :)
Comment by Kurt — June 19, 2006 @ 6:01 pm
Visit the Ommegang farm brewery. Try their beers. They may convert you. Ommegang makes the best Beglian beers this side of Belgium. Siel: seriously, eradicate all preconceptions from your brain about beer. Ommegang’s range is complex, including spicy, fruity, dry, sweet, nutty, philosophical, delicious beers. It’s a short drive from Cooperstown. Here’s their website: http://www.ommegang.com/
I once spent a most memorable day with their brewer who pulled out all the stops for me and a couple friends who trekked there to offer them our homebrews and taste their beers. It’s in a bucolic country setting. It’s so country that I actually watched a cat play “cat and mouse” with a mouse in front of the brewery. Ultimately, the cat finished the poor little guy off, but only after toying with it for what seemed like a very long and cruel time. It made me appreciate the beers, and my life, all the more.
Comment by Chris 'Beer Activist' O'Brien — June 19, 2006 @ 6:25 pm
My sis’s lingerie luncheon’s at the Otesaga Hotel, so I’ll get to try it out :) Thanks for all the suggestions, Kurt and Chris! I’ve written them down, along with addys — will report back. I hope this cat doesn’t kill a mouse in front of me though — mew…
Comment by Siel — June 20, 2006 @ 10:20 pm
For a change of scenery, and perspective, rent a pontoon boat at Sam’s for a couple of hours. We had such a good time three years ago, I still carry the souvenir keyring around. The museum exhibits a world famous collection of native American art and sacred objects. Really worth visiting!
Comment by maria — June 24, 2006 @ 1:24 pm